Jade has said that she has ‘zero regrets’ over her decision to walk away from
A mum who walked away from her 9-5 job to chase her side hustle now earns almost twice as much – and finally has the freedom she always dreamed of. Jade Zammit was working part-time while raising her two children, Charles and Senna, aged nine and five, when the stress of juggling it all began to take its toll.
Her daughter’s struggle with sleep left her exhausted—until she decided something had to change. After seeing how much expert advice helped her own family, Jade was inspired to start training as a sleep coach herself.
What began as a small side hustle soon grew into a thriving business – and before long, Jade was earning more than she ever had in her old job. “I was so sick from stress that I collapsed,” she told What’s The Jam. “It was clear my body couldn’t take any more.
“Handing in my notice to focus on my side hustle has been the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m making more money than ever and getting to spend more time with my children. I’d tell anyone to take that leap of faith.”
Jade says it all started during maternity leave with her youngest daughter. The 36-year-old, who had been working as a test analyst, struggled with her baby’s sleep for months and felt completely drained and overwhelmed.
She was running on caffeine and sheer adrenaline just to get through the day after she was up constantly through the night. The exhaustion began to affect everything – her mood, her focus and her health.
After reaching out to a professional sleeping coach, the mum-of-two became fascinated by how much difference expert advice could make. Watching her daughter finally settle into a proper sleep routine was life-changing, and Jade realised that countless other parents must be going through the same struggle.
Jade, from Edinburgh, said: “We thought we knew a thing or two about babies and sleep by then, but we couldn’t have been further from the truth. We struggled so much with her changing sleep patterns and frequent awakenings – I just didn’t know how to help her.
“One day, my husband said, ‘I think we need to speak to a professional about her sleep.’ That was the moment I decided that I wanted to be that professional.” After looking into the qualifications and training needed, Jade had undergone a “whole career change” and handed her notice in instead of returning to work. She now runs Beyond The Stars – Jade Zammit Sleep Coaching.
“I was very busy, very quickly,” she said. As the business began to take off, Jade worked for another company that had been looking for a test analyst which gave her a steady income while her own business flourished.
At first, she tried to balance both her new position and her business, keeping her side hustle as a safety net. But as her client list grew, the late nights and constant juggling became impossible.
Jade would spend her days working her corporate job, then stay up until midnight writing sleep plans for clients. Her health began to suffer, she was missing out on time with her children and felt permanently on edge.
She said: “In January 2023, I felt poorly with tonsillitis for the second time, my body just wasn’t recovering. A few weeks later, my husband found me collapsed in the shower one morning – my body simply wasn’t coping anymore.
“That was when I decided to hand in my notice and go full-time in my sleep consultancy business. It was a really scary decision to make, but the best one I’ve ever made.”
Two years later, she’s never looked back. Jade has helped more than 200 families transform their nights and now earns around £3,000 a month – almost double her old income of £1,600. Alongside the financial boost, the biggest reward has been something that money cannot buy.
She said: “Beyond finances, it’s the flexibility that means the most. I don’t need anyone’s permission to attend my kids’ sports days or school shows. I’m there for every drop-off and pick-up, for everything they need me for.
“Managing my time around my children is truly a blessing. If my kids get sick, I don’t have to panic trying to juggle work, care, and stressful deadlines. I can still support other families while taking care of my own.”
